The Right to Education Act, 2010

RTE suffers from a disconnect, a lack of transparency that can hobble private investment in educat

Meeta Sengupta

Creating a new fundamental right is a moment of glory for a nation: a moment that savours the fact that we can afford to make a promise to each one of our citizens. Yet it should also naturally be a moment of pure fear, for we have made a commitment to something big, something we have never done before, something we have no idea of how to do. And that is exactly where we are at with the new Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

The myriad questions arising from the Act will form the backbone of the education system we create for the next few generations. And it raises more questions than it answers. While promising to provide free and compulsory education, it says very little about where the funds will come from. The division of financial responsibility is between the states and the Centre, as education is ruled by both. But clearly, as Mayawati’s rejection of the financial burden of implementing the Act in Uttar Pradesh has shown, this has yet to be negotiated. Even at the level of schools, the question of funding the new entrants has to be resolved. While 25% of new admissions at entry level in private schools are now reserved for economically weaker sections (EWS), which will ostensibly be paid for by the government, there has been no discussion on how much will be paid per student, or what that will include.

There are issues that will inevitably arise from such a progressive move, such as the coexistence of the children of the elite and those of EWS in the same classroom. Some schools have models that have existed for a while with varying degrees of success. Some have extra classes for the disadvantaged students during holidays, while others report that such success flounders in middle school. The social divide is vast and often traumatic for the students on reservation. But this is their struggle to advancement, and while we can support them, we cannot fight their battles for them. The Act tries to anticipate this by adjuring schools to provide “freedom from fear, trauma and anxiety”.

Certain decisions have been handed down to all schools, such as the prohibition on holding back and expulsion. This has serious implications for discipline, motivation and achievement orientation of the pupils. While I can see the reasons behind this clause—without it RTE would have a gaping loophole—the drawbacks are worrisome, especially in private schools. This is the path to mediocrity, as has been proven in many countries before us. This Act creates a system with no incentive for students to try to improve themselves, or to behave with a modicum of restraint. It compromises their ability to withstand pressure, to try harder, to move up any hierarchical ladder. In one fell swoop, this Act creates a generation of drifters, of those who believe themselves to be entitled to a promotion.

And what happens to these very same people when they turn 14? While there will be some notable successes, there will be millions who would have simply passed through the system without gaining much. The Act merely says that they must acquire elementary education. Yet there are no clear measures of success indicated, nor a range of success defined. They have all been promised a certificate, but will that be of any value if every 14-year-old has it? Will it indicate anything about aptitude? Is there a plan for the future progression of the child? Is there, indeed, a path for each child to follow?

These issues will arise irrespective of the success or failure of the RTE Act. The truth, of course, is that we do not have the teaching infrastructure to deliver on the promise. The Act is a necessary step in building this infrastructure, but the sheer scale is mind-boggling. The entire structure depends on dedicated and caring teachers. This is now our bottleneck, for which no radical solution has been provided. Mere teacher training in the old mould is not going to achieve the broad sweep of reform that the Act envisages.

Herein lies the rub—the Act seems to be a wonderful piece of legislation that somehow does not connect with the parts that must come before it, after it and those that must support it. There is a lack of transparency about the national strategy for education, which may, for all we know, exist within the grand ministerial files. Yet it has been left to the common masses to second guess the strategy, and, therefore, the guiding principles of educating and employing the young. Government strategy needs to be more transparent in order to guide private investment and effort.

Meeta Sengupta is an independent consultant in education strategy. Comments are welcome at theirview@livemint.com

Most schools are struggling – but it is early days yet. Delhi has had 10% reservation for a few years before this, so they are used to the concept. Others have just started implementing it – so they are in their first year. There are socio-economic issues as much as academic issues to deal with. and the school has to deal with them all. The rich schools will be able to invest in extra support for these children, but all schools will not. Also have heard stories of fee distortion across the board for different reasons.

The RTE Act of 2009 is a good policy. It is meant to stop stamping of the label, “failure,” on children. Normally, only the bottom 5% of students is failed. And good teachers who are dedicated enough know how to care for the not so bright student and make him pass to the next class. The power that dictatorial teachers want to show by announcing “I will fail you” has been now counter-checked. This is not making a generation of mediocre persons or drifters, but enabling all to explore new ways of succeeding. Students will be competing with each other for higher scores.
Paying for 25% of seats by government is feasible. Whether individual states can afford to implement is entirely up to them; those states that value education will pay. However vast the social gap in status may be, one of the roles of education is to bring equality of opportunity amongst next generation through education. Much depends on the teachers who will implement it and appreciate the spirit of it. Education is seen as a way out of poverty and all aspiring students should be given that chance.
Delhi schools did not give any chance to the poor class students modern education. Afternoon session was for the poor students and different teachers for them too, and Hindi medium was only available

Post navigation

Search

Education Articles: EduVichar

“We want the best school for our child” “They should have a better system for organising admissions” “These private schools, all they want is money” “Obviously, we cannot send our child to a government school” and more…. Each year one hears all this and more…you may happily add a few dialogues of your own to […]

It is time for the next generation of education policies. What started as a low growl, a murmur of dissent in education space has now grown to a roar. Globally, education is in transition. Beyond the usual burble of -‘it’s time to outgrow industrial age education’, or, ‘you can’t teach a child to deal with […]

What do I write In a world gone mad Who can listen Above the gunshots That echo across The classrooms of the world Who can read You said they could You said they were in school Look, they have the book What do they do with it If they cannot read? Can they do their […]

In addition to the usual ones on quality, scale, access, affordability…. …….. Three discussions in education 2014 December 11, 2014, 12:33 pm IST Meeta Sengupta in EduCable | India | TOI What has 2014 wrought in education? I will call it the year of the battle between tradition and innovation. Globally and in India. It […]

India’s education policy needs a complete overhaul 12/19/2014 I was glad I did not know the boy standing on the high diving board, hesitating to take the leap. As I walked past, I realised it was the perfect analogy for India and her education issues. We still have to take that leap. It is known […]

This year has been interesting for education, not for its grand ideas but for its little fixes. It is time, come 2015 and the Budget, that some significant moves are made The problems in education in India are akin to a leaky boat. After a while, one counts so many holes that one wonders if […]

Sanskrit lessons in Indian civilization The current controversy about switching from German to Sanskrit will run its course. The bigger issue is: How much of the country’s past should shape its future? It is not unusual for countries to glorify their own past. Nor is it unusual to include that in the schooling system — […]

It is not an easy time for educationists. And an easy one for ideologues. Ideologues have made their choices. They know what they stand for in education. Standardised classrooms. Common Core Curriculum, to use the name of the American version. Most countries have something similar. A taxonomy of learning styles – and lesson planning based […]

Can one go back from the CCE to a single exam? You cannot go back to the past. It is gone and we have to plan for a smarter future. Even in the class X assessment system, the students who met the minister may want to go back, but times have changed. Having bemoaned the […]